THE Cebu City version of “bakuna bubble” is one of the measures being considered as a safe way to reopen the majority of the businesses in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama presented the city’s bakuna bubble, an initiative under Executive Order (EO) No. 142, before Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion during the “Public-Private Dialogue on Safe Ways to Open the Economy in the Age of Community Quarantines,” which was held virtually on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021.

The bakuna or vaccine bubble refers to the privileges given to the vaccinated individuals in Cebu City such as allowing them to dine indoors, access to services in salons and spas, and entry to indoor sports venues and indoor tourist attractions.

Rama first issued EO No. 137 on Sept. 2, allowing vaccinated individuals to dine-in. It was then followed by EO No. 142, which gave more privileges to the vaccinated ones.

Some business leaders support the bakuna bubble, hoping that the national government, through the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, would approve the nationwide implementation of such a measure.

In an interview, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Felix Taguiam said the Cebu City bakuna bubble model is now being taken into consideration by Concepcion.

“The economy has to move and many are depending on businesses to open,” he said.

Año’s stance

Planned